Samsung, the South Korean electronics company, is optimistic about capitalizing on the 5G connectivity trend in India and expects that 75% of their business in the country in 2023 will come from the sale of 5G handsets, according to Akshay S Rao, General Manager of Samsung’s Mobile Business in India.
He stated that the company currently sells 28 smartphones in the Indian market, with 19 of them being 5G smartphones. As of now, Samsung has already introduced nine 5G devices in India since the start of 2023.
Indian telecom companies initiated the 5G rollout in the final quarter of 2022. When asked about the rationale behind Samsung’s prediction of 75% business from 5G devices in India, Rao explained that the company had already achieved 66% business from 5G devices in 2022 and expected this number to grow in the coming year.
Rao acknowledged that 5G is not yet accessible everywhere in India, and some customers and first-time smartphone users still prefer purchasing 4G devices.
According to WION, Samsung has moved all of its device manufacturing for the Indian market to its factory in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, which is the largest factory in the world. The company’s portfolio includes entry-level smartphones costing a little over $150 to high-end phones such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Fold, which cost well over $1500. Even though these phones have a ‘made-in-India’ tag, many of their crucial components such as processors, camera modules, batteries, sensors, and more are imported.
Samsung officials refused to provide specific details on the volume of its exports from India or the number of components that it imports.
Apple, Samsung’s competitor, assembles its phones in India through contract manufacturers such as Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron. According to the Indian Government, over $6 billion worth of smartphones were exported from India between April and November 2022. Apple has been increasingly focusing on India, and it has opened two company-operated retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi, which were inaugurated by Apple CEO Tim Cook. It is said that 7% of Apple phones sold worldwide are assembled in India.
Samsung officials did not comment directly on the latest Apple store openings in India but emphasized their 25-year-old legacy of research and development, manufacturing, and retail operations in the country.
Post Your Comments